Photos chronicle autistic girl's rapid decline

In photos taken from her family's home, Melissa Stoddard, 11, at left, grins on Halloween 2012. At right, she is photographed with a swollen lip Dec. 1, 2012, 16 days before she died. (Photos provided by State Attorney's Office)

Published: Thursday, December 26, 2013 at 2:11 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, December 26, 2013 at 2:11 p.m.

SARASOTA - On Halloween 2012, Melissa Stoddard's grin was so big you could practically count all her teeth.

Dressed as a witch, she held her trick-or-treat bag and posed with her costume-clad siblings for a family photograph.

But soon, other pictures would chronicle Melissa's rapid decline over the next few weeks as she appeared battered and bleeding a month later.

On Dec. 17, 2012, she died in a St. Petersburg children's hospital after the autistic 11-year-old had suffered brain damage from allegedly being bound and duct-taped in her bedroom.

The photographs confiscated from Kenneth and Misty Stoddard's home in Sarasota County were released this week as part of a new computer forensic report. The preliminary report analyzed their computer, Nikon camera and cellphone as evidence against the Stoddards, who are facing several charges in connection with Melissa's death.

The couple's defense attorneys, who did not return calls seeking comment for this story, have proclaimed their clients' innocence.

“We're going to show these allegations by the state are not true,” said David Taylor, who represents Misty Stoddard, in January.

The photographs depict a rapid change in Melissa.

Instead of the happy-go-lucky smile from Halloween, Melissa stares straight into the lens with a badly swollen lip on Dec. 1, 2012.

Other photographs taken from a Samsung cellphone are close-up shots of an open, bloody gash above Melissa's right eyebrow.

After the injury, authorities say Melissa was made to sit outside for hours with a makeshift bandage before her father took her to the hospital for stitches.

Days after those photos were taken, Melissa was dead.

With their special-needs daughter on the cusp of adolescence, authorities say someone at the Stoddard home apparently turned to the Internet for help.

Her family had complained to her teachers that Melissa was misbehaving and violent at home. It did not make sense to Oak Park School staff, who reported the autistic child's tantrums had stopped and her attitude was dramatically improved.

Set for trial

At the Stoddard house, someone used the family computer to search online for “human muzzle” and “best gag to keep someone quiet,” according to the forensic report.

“Is it OK to restrain your child with restraints if she is in danger of hurting others in the family?” was one Internet query.

“Where can I buy long velcro straps?” was another question, the report shows.

Somebody at the home was also interested in tying up and gagging for other reasons and visited sexually graphic websites for bondage fetishes, according to the forensic report released this week.

The Stoddards are scheduled to stand trial in February; both face multiple charges.

Misty Stoddard is charged with the most serious crime — first-degree murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison since the State Attorney's Office is not seeking the death penalty.

Both Stoddards have also been charged with aggravated child abuse with great bodily harm.

This month, the state filed two additional felony charges against Kenneth Stoddard for aggravated manslaughter and tampering with evidence.

His defense attorney has filed a motion asking to postpone the February trial because of the new charges. Judge Frederick Mercurio is expected to make a decision at a Jan. 6 court hearing.

Melissa died Dec. 17, 2012 from lack of oxygen to the brain after she was found not breathing in her bedroom. Out of her half-siblings, Melissa was often singled out and punished by being kept outside or not allowed to eat at the family dinner table, court evidence shows.

In the final weeks of her life, Melissa was pulled from Oak Park School, a public school for students with disabilities in Sarasota County.

In the summer of 2012, Melissa moved into the Stoddard's home, which was supposed to be her safe haven.

Her brother had sexually molested her in their biological mother's home in North Carolina, according to a Florida Department of Children and Families report.

<p><em>SARASOTA</em> - On Halloween 2012, Melissa Stoddard's grin was so big you could practically count all her teeth. </p><p>Dressed as a witch, she held her trick-or-treat bag and posed with her costume-clad siblings for a family photograph.</p><p>But soon, other pictures would chronicle Melissa's rapid decline over the next few weeks as she appeared battered and bleeding a month later. </p><p>On Dec. 17, 2012, she died in a St. Petersburg children's hospital after the autistic 11-year-old had suffered brain damage from allegedly being bound and duct-taped in her bedroom.</p><p>The photographs confiscated from Kenneth and Misty Stoddard's home in Sarasota County were released this week as part of a new computer forensic report. The preliminary report analyzed their computer, Nikon camera and cellphone as evidence against the Stoddards, who are facing several charges in connection with Melissa's death.</p><p>The couple's defense attorneys, who did not return calls seeking comment for this story, have proclaimed their clients' innocence.</p><p>“We're going to show these allegations by the state are not true,” said David Taylor, who represents Misty Stoddard, in January.</p><p>The photographs depict a rapid change in Melissa.</p><p>Instead of the happy-go-lucky smile from Halloween, Melissa stares straight into the lens with a badly swollen lip on Dec. 1, 2012.</p><p>Other photographs taken from a Samsung cellphone are close-up shots of an open, bloody gash above Melissa's right eyebrow.</p><p>After the injury, authorities say Melissa was made to sit outside for hours with a makeshift bandage before her father took her to the hospital for stitches.</p><p>Days after those photos were taken, Melissa was dead.</p><p>With their special-needs daughter on the cusp of adolescence, authorities say someone at the Stoddard home apparently turned to the Internet for help.</p><p>Her family had complained to her teachers that Melissa was misbehaving and violent at home. It did not make sense to Oak Park School staff, who reported the autistic child's tantrums had stopped and her attitude was dramatically improved.</p><p><b>Set for trial</b> </p><p>At the Stoddard house, someone used the family computer to search online for “human muzzle” and “best gag to keep someone quiet,” according to the forensic report. </p><p>“Is it OK to restrain your child with restraints if she is in danger of hurting others in the family?” was one Internet query.</p><p>“Where can I buy long velcro straps?” was another question, the report shows.</p><p>Somebody at the home was also interested in tying up and gagging for other reasons and visited sexually graphic websites for bondage fetishes, according to the forensic report released this week.</p><p>The Stoddards are scheduled to stand trial in February; both face multiple charges.</p><p>Misty Stoddard is charged with the most serious crime — first-degree murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison since the State Attorney's Office is not seeking the death penalty.</p><p>Both Stoddards have also been charged with aggravated child abuse with great bodily harm.</p><p>This month, the state filed two additional felony charges against Kenneth Stoddard for aggravated manslaughter and tampering with evidence.</p><p>His defense attorney has filed a motion asking to postpone the February trial because of the new charges. Judge Frederick Mercurio is expected to make a decision at a Jan. 6 court hearing.</p><p>Melissa died Dec. 17, 2012 from lack of oxygen to the brain after she was found not breathing in her bedroom. Out of her half-siblings, Melissa was often singled out and punished by being kept outside or not allowed to eat at the family dinner table, court evidence shows. </p><p>In the final weeks of her life, Melissa was pulled from Oak Park School, a public school for students with disabilities in Sarasota County. </p><p>In the summer of 2012, Melissa moved into the Stoddard's home, which was supposed to be her safe haven. </p><p>Her brother had sexually molested her in their biological mother's home in North Carolina, according to a Florida Department of Children and Families report.</p>